“I want everyone to know that us – the migrant cleaners – deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.“
Teresa Calixto, sacked cloakroom attendant and UVW member
The prestigious central London hotel charges £121.00 for tea and £816 per night for five-star service which is delivered to exacting standards by cleaners and cloakroom attendants like Teresa. Despite its extraordinary prices, workers like Teresa are paid poverty wages, way below the London Living Wage.
Teresa is bringing legal proceedings against The Dorchester for unfair dismissal. On 6 April UVW members, migrant cleaners, and Teresa staged a protest that turned nasty.
Radisson Blu housekeepers win landmark union recognition at two UK hotels
“It’s exciting news. Securing this recognition agreement means our employer now has to sit down with us before making any decisions that affect our…
Migrant Cleaners at South London School To Be Balloted for Strike Over Pay and Payroll Disputes
“We are workers who keep this service running through our daily effort, waking up at 4:00 in the morning, enduring exhausting shifts and an…
Migrant cleaner takes Hackney Council to court for discrimination and breach of contract
“I have felt bullied despite giving 100 percent of myself at work. It is not fair that at the slightest issue, workers can be made…
Fired over a juice carton: Migrant cleaner takes on Amazon after summary dismissal
“I want my job back. I want my name cleared, because they have completely tarnished it.” Tobeida, former Amazon cleaner A 60-year-old migrant cleaner who worked…
Learning your rights the UVW way: Café Consulta returns to Casa UVW
Casa UVW was filled to capacity on Saturday 14 March as around 90 Spanish-speaking members gathered for the first Café Consulta drop-in session of the year,…
Hospital cleaners win historic race discrimination appeal against Great Ormond Street Hospital
“Finally, we have the justice we have been fighting for.“ Mamuna, GOSH cleaner and UVW member The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has upheld a…
Over 500 St Helier and Epsom hospital workers win £10 million NHS contract deal after historic fight
“We won this by joining UVW and fighting all together… We kept spreading the word and talking to each other and one by one we became hundreds. We got…
Dismissed after attending her sister’s funeral, Jemima fought back and got her job back!
“I told myself my union had to intervene, and yes, they did. I’m so happy today because the union defended me tremendously well. It’s…
Hundreds of NHS facilities’ workers at St Helier and Epsom Hospitals launch historic strike ballot in major push for equality
“We are the pillars of this hospital — if we don’t clean, transport people around or serve food, patients and their families suffer. The…
“I don’t steal. I’m not a thief” – UVW to sue LSE over summary dismissal of 70-year-old migrant cleaner
United Voices of the World (UVW) will initiate legal proceedings against the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE) yet again, following the sudden and…
UVW cleaners at the V&A museum win 18% pay rise
The outsourced cleaners at the Victoria and Albert museum (V&A) in London, mostly migrants from Latin America, outsourced to contractor TSS, have won their fight…
UVW cleaners at the V&A museum join the fight for a fair wage
“We need a fair wage. We can’t make ends meet.” Like so many outsourced workers in wealthy institutions, the cleaners at the Victoria and…
UVW sues cleaning company for forcing cleaner onto unpaid sick leave ignoring doctor’s request to reduce stress
“I felt very intimidated, very observed, constantly called into investigation hearings, so my health declined and I had to be signed briefly off work.…
“We want to have a voice”: Battersea Power Station migrant cleaners demand fair wages and union recognition
“We are getting organised with our union, so we can negotiate collectively for fair treatment and respect. We want to have a voice, and…
The fruits of resilience and determination
Workers who stand up to their bosses develop bravery and resilience which helps them win. Our union, United Voices of the World (UVW) exists…
Unfair dismissal at Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall: A call for justice
“The union informs you of your rights, opens your eyes and offers a helping hand…People should not allow these abuses to take place and…
Private School Cleaners Fight Cuts in Hours and Pay
“I can’t believe they have cut our pay. It is blackmail what they’re doing – forcing us to agree to a cut in hours…
Round 2: GOSH cleaners vs racist outsourcing
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has accepted United Voices of the World (UVW) union appeal against Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). The brave UVW cleaners,…
DfE strike postponed: Facility staff secure backdated pay
“We have had to strike twice and we were prepared to walk out for the third time on Wednesday, but it’s great news that…
Outsourced cleaners and caterers at Department for Education demand equality on the picket line
“Where is the money? I’m a single mum and I pay every single bill. This time I’m not going to stop!” Elizete, cleaner at…
Cleaners at Dulwich private school ballot for strike action
“We are ready to strike because losing five weeks of work per year is deeply unfair… We can’t just find another job to make…
Cleaners declare ¡VICTORIA! at private school in South London
“We never had sick pay before, this is a big win for us, thanks to our unity and the support of our union that…
Migrant cleaners at Department for Education to strike for equality in June
“No sick pay, too much work, no proper holiday cover. We feel we are treated with disdain, we are fed up and stressed but…
UVW win: Milagros reinstated!
“If it wasn’t for the union I wouldn’t have got my job back“ Milagros Icaza, sacked cleaner and UVW member Originally from Peru, Milagros…
Cleaners descend on The Dorchester Hotel over the sacking of Peruvian cloak room attendant
“I want my job back. I want my reputation back. I did nothing wrong. I don’t deserve this treatment. I’m not scared and I…
Cleaners continue their epic battle against historic racial discriminatory outsourcing at Great Ormond Street Hospital in legal appeal
UVW cleaner members at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) are continuing their epic legal battle against historic racially discriminatory outsourcing at the London famous…
Cleaners at the Department for Education launch second strike ballot over equality
“No sick pay, too much work, no proper holiday cover. We are treated with disdain and we are fed up and stressed but united…
United we are strong!
Fantastic monthly meeting of UVW’s section for Spanish and Portuguese speakers – Voces Hispanas Unidas -, most of whom work as cleaners. We had…
Choose kindness over ruthlessness
“I went to visit my 87-year-old sick father who has an amputated leg. When I got back I found out I had been sacked.“…
Outsourced migrant cleaner sacked for trying to do her job well
“I was sacked for taking a cleaning product from one company site to another. I was simply trying to do my job well.” Milagros…
UVW women lead from the front
“You brought us back to the essence of why we, especially women, need to join a trade union.” Denise Savage This week trade union…
Company forced to pay cleaner contracted holiday leave
“You never know when you are going to need the support of your union, but one thing is clear, there’s always a first time.” Maria,…
“The only option is to fight for your rights” Amazon warehouse cleaners fight cuts to their paid break
” As an ordinary person, I have the right to defend myself against their abuses. I feel that everything is for the convenience of…
I ate a tuna sandwich and I was sacked. But I took direct action and it worked
Gabriela, a single mother from Ecuador and UVW member, cleaned the offices of Devonshires Solicitors for two years with an impeccable record, until she…
Community, advice on labour rights and local services, and fun at Voces Hispanas’ monthly meeting
“These sessions with fellow workers and union advisors are very important. I learned so much about so many issues – about working rights and…
“They don’t treat us cleaners like human beings, they treat us like rats”: Cleaners at the Department of Education poised to strike for a living wage
Exhausted cleaners, struggling to pay for the basics, working at the Department for Education (DfE)’s Sanctuary Buildings are asking to be paid a living…
A Xmas bonus: UVW cleaner members force exclusive Hurlingham Club to sack bullying manager and give them a pay rise!
“We are very happy to have received a pay rise and our first Xmas bonus, as well as relieved for having got rid of…
Let’s live in a better world by Maria Tito, UVW member
Greetings to all members of the United Voices of the World union (UVW) I have been a member of UVW for about 6 years.…
UVW member cleaners force LSE to backdate their ‘stolen’ holiday pay
“This victory should tell them that this time they won’t get away with it, they have to pay our (owed) holiday pay and we…
UVW beats outsourcing again
Cleaners and concierge workers at West End Quays luxury apartments,in London, will be brought in-house following successful summer 2023 strikes, which won them a…
Victory on appeal: LSE forced to back down and reinstate sacked UVW strike leader
“We must not remain silent, nor accept any kind of abuse or injustice, but take the route of action because together – with the…
“A transformative experience”: Disciplinary against exemplary outsourced Chanel cleaner quashed
“This has been a transformative experience. I now feel very powerful… I feel different. I see my bosses just like anyone else.” Hiywot Feyssa…
Concierge, cleaners and maintenance win union recognition at luxury apartments
“The cleaners, concierge and maintenance workers at WEQ want to make our workplace better, with clear and constructive dialogue we can do this” Francesco…
Cleaners and concierge at London luxury apartments WIN BIG
“Together, the concierge and cleaners at WEQ have shown what collective power can do. With our commitment and the support of our union we…
UVW to sue LSE for disability discrimination and trade union victimisation after sacking strike leader
“My condition has got something to do with it, but I think there’s more to it. I’ve always been at the forefront of the…
UVW wins right to defend its 2021 race discrimination win against Royal Parks before the Court of Appeal because it has “a real prospect of success”, says judge.
United Voices of the World’s (UVW) application to the Court of Appeal in our claim against the Royal Parks (RP) has just been given…
“Pay us our holiday pay” LSE cleaners take bosses to the Employment Tribunal
“We took strike action to fight for what we are owed and now we are taking legal action. We won’t stop fighting.” Vilma Villamoros,…
Rachel Keke: A fighter’s journey
“Strike all the way until victory, support those striking and don’t be afraid.” Rachel Keke, former chambermaid-turned-French MP, at Casa UVW In July we…
Residents at luxury apartments support the striking cleaners and concierge workers
“We were at the picket line again to show our determination to continue this fight and we won great support from the residents.” Francesco…
Local community comes out in full force to back La Retraite School’s cleaners striking to save their jobs
“We are human beings like you, we have families like you, we need rest like you, we need a living wage – we work…
School cleaners return to the picket line to fight for their jobs
“I’m fighting for the many injustices committed against me for being a trade union member and I believe this is trade union victimisation… I’m…
UVW cleaners at La Retraite school to strike alongside NEU teachers in early July
“Most of us cleaners would be forced to stop working at the school because many of us have other jobs we need to get…
Three perfect strike days… and the battle continues
“We don’t give up. We overcome our fear. We keep fighting. We stick together, we win” UVW striker and senior care worker Bile from…
All aboard the UVW strike bus!
All aboard! A bus load of cleaners, carers and concierge workers together with dozens of supporters, went on a whistle stop tour of five…
Over 100 low-paid, migrant workers to kick off joint three-day strike action aboard open-top double-decker bus!
“We are slowly losing all of our rights. We want our bosses to see that they have made the wrong choices because we are…
Cleaners at Mercedes Benz jubilant after threat of strike action secures pay rise
“Receiving that letter with the news of the pay increase was truly wonderful!… To my colleagues in the other workplaces; continue the fight, do…
Condé Nast cleaners win 11% pay rise after strike threat
A group of United Voices of the World (UVW) members from Latin America who clean the offices of global media company Condé Nast in…
Amazon cleaners on the brink of a historic union recognition win
“I want to call on fellow cleaners from other Amazon warehouses not to feel alone and to join our struggle, because where there is…
Mass strike ballots for UVW cleaners, carers and concierges open on International Workers’ Day!
“We need to go out together, it doesn’t matter if you are different workers in different workplaces.The most important thing is to be united”…
Migrant cleaners at Mercedes-Benz luxury car showroom win 19.5% pay rise
“We were not asking for anything extraordinary, we were asking for a very reasonable increase, affordable and fair.” José, cleaner and UVW member. Migrant…
TERESA DEMANDS:
To be reinstated in her job
Her disciplinary record to be cleared
TAKE ACTION!
If you are a migrant worker with similar issues or want to make sure Teresa gets justice, become a member here >>
You can also support the fight by becoming a solidarity member here >>
Or get in touch to join our action groups >>
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